by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

For a half, Kevin Durant was back to making three-pointers and Serge Ibaka was back to playing offense and the Oklahoma City Thunder were back to looking like the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

But this has been the Memphis Grizzlies' series, and they staggered back from a 17-point deficit to their first lead in a span of less than 16 minutes, then made the big plays down the stretch. The Grizzlies won Game 4 of their second-round NBA playoff series 103-97 in overtime, taking a 3-1 series lead and asserting themselves as the new West favorites.

"They came out firing," Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. "In the second half, we came out and we got after them and we got after them. And we kept scratching and clawing. ... We were able to overcome a lot."

Memphis took its first lead in the final minute of the third quarter, and the fourth was a tug of war. And the strongest man pulled hardest. Zach Randolph had nine points, three rebounds and a key strip of Durant in the fourth quarter. He and Marc Gasol each split pairs of free throws in the final minute to give Memphis a two-point lead with 10.9 seconds left.

Durant then tied it at 94 with 6.4 seconds left on a scoop shot, one of his two made field goals on 13 tries in the fourth quarter and overtime. Randolph had the ball in his hands with a chance to end it but was blocked by Thunder center Kendrick Perkins on a fadeaway jumper from the elbow before regulation's end.

Randolph made up for it early in overtime, with his putback giving the Grizzlies their first four-point lead of the game. Veteran Thunder guard Derek Fisher made a three-pointer, his only basket of the game, to cut the deficit to 98-97. Durant slipped on a shot attempt, and the Grizzlies then answered with a Gasol jumper to make it 100-97 with 22.8 seconds left.

Fisher then threw away an inbound pass, forcing the Thunder to foul thief Tony Allen, then Gasol on the ensuing Grizzlies inbound. He made one, but Durant missed a three after making five of his previous six. Tayshaun Prince was sent to the free throw line with 10.0 seconds left and made both to seal it 103-97, Memphis' biggest lead of the night.

Durant missed a layup. The Grizzlies rebounded it. And the game was over.

"They just play aggressive, man. They just play aggressive," Ibaka said. "We tried to go hard, to get some, but it's not happening. We need to be aggressive, too."

Durant found his stroke early and often after a slump from long range had doomed the Thunder in Games 2 and 3. He shot 10-for-27 for 27 points and tried to take on a bigger playmaking role with seven assists as Oklahoma City continues to adapt to life without Russell Westbrook.

The Thunder shot 53.8 in the first half, with Ibaka recording a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. He finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. A 25-15 rebounding edge also tipped the scales in the first half, as Memphis came out at home without any edge.

"They came out thinking it was going to be easy because they got the tough win the other night," Hollins said of his Grizzlies' first half. "This team over there in that other locker room is not dying. We have to go out and win this series."

But Gasol awoke in the third, scoring 10 points to lead the Grizzlies' rally. The defensive player of the year, who was snubbed from the all-defensive first team earlier Monday, finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. Mike Conley scored a team-high 24. And Randolph totaled 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Game 5 is Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT) back in Oklahoma City. But only eight NBA teams have come back from a 3-1 series deficit.